Escapists – New Faces

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A four-piece from south London suburbia who craft cinematic, guitar-driven indie pop, Escapists were only in their infancy when XFM's John Kennedy got wind of them and championed their rousing debut track, Post Gospel Blues, in 2011. Their terrific live shows have since helped them build up a small but dedicated following, and they release their fourth single, What Are You Waiting For, on Friday.

How did they get here?

"I'd narrowly missed out on Adele using one of my songs," says frontman Simon Glancy, 29. "When it didn't work out, naturally, I called my old flat mate from Bristol Uni [guitarist Oli Court] and said, 'Let's make a band.'" Court brought with him his childhood friends, bassist and pianist Max Perryment (29) and drummer Andy Walsh (29). Sequestered in a garage at the back of Court's parents' garden, they began writing songs four years ago while juggling full-time jobs. In 2014, they set up their own label Secret Dinosaur to release their debut album Only Bodies, which was praised by music sites such as The 405 and Clash.

What do they sound like?

A mélange of clear, sonorous vocals, nagging guitar melodies and propulsive basslines. Glancy's voice veers acrobatically from the low, dissociated baritone of Editors' Tom Smith to the plaintive falsetto of Bon Iver's Justin Vernon – as demonstrated in What Are You Waiting For, their foot-stomping new song about not succumbing to apathy. The quartet's funereal and thoughtful lyrics echo early Arcade Fire, but there's an undeniable pop sensibility to their music, with catchy choruses adding a lacquered sheen to their harmonies. Impressive, too, is their invigorating cover of Talking Heads' This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody).

Who are their musical influences?

"I'm really into bands and artists that push the boundaries," says Court. "Bowie, Nick Cave, and bands like The Mars Volta and Faith No More." Escapists also cite Queens of the Stone Age, Arcade Fire and grunge revivalists Manchester Orchestra as inspirations. "They are a great live band that write heavy tracks with great melodies and huge vocals that really draw you into their performances," says Walsh of Manchester Orchestra.

What do they say about their own music?

"We make music for ourselves," says Glancy. "But we’ll embrace anyone with open arms who wants to come with us."

Escapists' single What Are You Waiting For is out on Friday 18 September; they are performing at the Lexington, London, the following night